Renault lodges protest against ‘pink Mercedes’ (Update)

Otmar Szafnauer frustrated with protest

UPDATE "It is impossible for them to be illegal," Otmar Szafnauer told Autosport. "Brake ducts, just so you know, take a long time to design and make, they are very, very complicated, and we have 886 individual drawings for our brake ducts."

"They protested the brake ducts, and we don't have any other brake ducts, and mainly because they are legal.

"We have no concerns whatsoever. Our brake ducts are legal, we ran them last weekend, we ran them again this weekend and we will be running them again at Silverstone."

"The only reason you may sense a bit of frustration is probably because I have all the information of how we designed and developed them," he said.

"And the rest of the world doesn't yet because we haven't disclosed that to the stewards.

"We had disclosed it to the FIA, and the FIA were satisfied that what we had done was absolutely legal.

"However, that's not how the judicial system works; it's the stewards who have the right and the power to rule. So now we've got to inform the stewards as well.

"And it just takes a little bit of time because when the FIA came to us to investigate how we designed and developed the car, including the brake ducts, they came to the factory, spent two days there, interviewed people looked at all of our drawings, looked at the design and development process, what we did in the tunnel and CFD, how we got to where we got, and they were satisfied.

"With the stewards you can't do that. You've got to bring the data to them, and then also explain through words on a piece of paper and drawings, what you've done. It takes a little bit longer.

"So the only reason I'm frustrated is I know what we've done, and why it's legal. And it wasn't a loophole or anything.

"It's just frustrating when I know we're legal and I get all these questions about well what happens if you lose? That's the frustrating thing."

Sergio Perez in the 'pink' Mercedes

07/13/20 (GMM) F1's governing body is looking into the legality of the 2020 Racing Point car.

The stewards late on Sunday judged as admissible a protest lodged by Renault against the car known in the paddock as the 'pink Mercedes'.

"We confirm that Renault DP World F1 Team has submitted a request to the stewards of the event for clarification on the legality of the Racing Point RP20," Renault confirmed.

"We have no further comment on this matter until the stewards have arrived at a decision."

It is believed Renault is arguing that certain parts of the Racing Point, such as the brake ducts, break the rules about teams needing to fully design certain prescribed 'listed parts'.

In Austria, the FIA confiscated the brake ducts, and have requested the brake ducts of last year's Mercedes as well.

Renault is the only team to lodge a formal protest, but Red Bull indicated that it is also concerned about the 'pink Mercedes'.

"The pace of Perez was incredible," said Dr Helmut Marko in Austria.

"If they repeat that at other tracks, it's even scary for us."